The BOST.sub.x .RTM. breeding program which produced the nvoel plant invention described herein and named "Quatro Rojo" ("Quatro") extended over a period of some 9 years. QUATRO originated as a seedling selected from progeny of cross pollination between (1) a breeding line derived from crossing the commercially available Hibiscus moscheutos.times.`Southern Belle` and a Texas species hibiscus H. laevis selection "Houston", (2) a breeding line derived from crossing H. laevis "Houston" and species hibiscus H. coccineus, and (3) a breeding line derived from crossing H. coccineus and Hibiscus.times."Southern Belle".
Unfortunately, the original tag documenting the pod and pollen parents of the seedling was unreadable at the time the plant was evaluated. The probable parents are BOST.sub.x .RTM. F.sub.1 generation selections "Nathan's Star" and "Georgia Rose". Quatro clearly shows characteristics of all three of the original parent (P.sub.1) genomes used to establish this breeding program.
The objective of the breeding program which produced the novel plant of the invention was primarily to develop a plant with the following characteristics:
(a) Large plant of exceptional productivity suitable for cultivation with good form and reliably upright habit. PA0 (b) Decorative foliage of a pleasing shade of green with unique shape and size characteristics not shared by current landscape varieties. PA0 c) Attractive, well-formed, large red flowers that are distinctive for the color and form, that are well-posed on the plant and that remain open for most of the day (two days in cooler weather).